SCHOOL OPENING 2018-2019

Human Resource Management

The District is pleased to welcome 43 new teaching staff members to the Teaneck Public Schools Community. We also welcome a new Supervisor of Special Education, a Supervisor of Physical Education, Health and Drivers’ Education/Athletic Director, a Supervisor of Community Relations & Volunteer Services and an Assistant Principal at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. We are delighted that they are joining our team; and excited to share one of our core values of working harmoniously in a multicultural and diverse community.

Curriculum & Instruction

The Office of Curriculum & Instruction had a busy summer! Our summer initiatives included:

	Title I Literacy and Math program for 283 students, who have completed grade K-8.
	Extended School Year program for 228 students in grades PreK-12, who continued their academic learning and participated in social skill training as well.
	Summer transition program for students entering night grade in September. There were 65 rising
9th grade students who attended the language arts program during which they completed summer reading assignments; there were 92 students who attended the global history/study skills program during which they polished their research and study skills while learning about current events from around the
globe; and there were 55 students who attended the Pre-Algebra/Algebra I “boot camp” to prepare for success in Algebra I in ninth grade!
	Teachers and supervisors completing work on revising the social studies curriculum for grades 1 -4, English/language arts for K – 8, Advanced Placement language and composition, Advanced Placement literature and composition, language arts center 9, science grades 3-7, physics 9 honors, college and career ready Algebra I, and Spanish grades K – 2.
	Planning for new teacher/staff orientation, which will take place on August 28 – 30, 2018. Our new staff will learn about our instructional model, expectations for lesson planning, and how they will be evaluated using the Danielson Framework for Teaching. They will also have the opportunity to complete some mandated state training and have a school-based orientation led by the principals.

We are preparing for Foundation Training which will provide support to our non-tenured teachers, including the approximately 40 new hires who begin working in district officially on September 4, 2018. The kick-off event for the year will take place on Saturday, September 15, 2018, from 8:30 am to 12:20 pm. Teachers will learn about our instructional model, tools and strategies for engaging students in active, in-depth learning, and ways to use instructional technology to modify and restructure student learning.

Operations & Maintenance
This summer has been very busy with many facilities & grounds improvement projects being completed by both Outside Contractors and O&M Staff. The student lockers were replaced at both Thomas Jefferson & Benjamin Franklin. The gyms at both Thomas Jefferson & Benjamin Franklin have been renovated to include new bleachers, basketball backstop upgrades, painting, and new game lines & refinishing of the wood floor. At Thomas Jefferson’s Room 115 was renovated and subdivided into two smaller classrooms and the Faculty Room was renovated including a new kitchenette. At Bryant, a new floor was installed in Room 3. At Whittier, the Faculty Restroom on the first floor was renovated with new tile and plumbing fixtures. Damaged sections of the concrete sidewalks were replaced at Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Bryant. The parking lots were repaved and restriped at Thomas Jefferson & Bryant. The O&M Yard located at Benjamin Franklin is being expanded and repaved in order to relocate equipment & vehicles away from the school.

Community Relations & Volunteer Services
With our new Supervisor joining us this month, plans are underway for the Convocation Ceremony (for ALL staff) at Teaneck High School on Tuesday, September 4th. Breakfast will be served from 8 am – 8:45 am. The presentation portion will be from 9 am – 10 am. Additionally, “Meet & Greet the New Superintendent” events have been scheduled for Saturday, September 8th (at the High School following the home opening football game) and Sunday, September 16th (from 3 pm to 5 pm at the District Office gymnasium). Finally, we will hold our “Volunteer Appreciation Event” on Wednesday, October 10th immediately before the Board meeting. More details on this event will be forthcoming. The new Supervisor is also working on making modifications to the district website to ensure that the content is up-to-date and relevant for back to school. In the coming months, the website will be fully reviewed to ensure it is user-friendly for all stakeholders. “Welcome Back” letters were also sent home to parents and staff from the Superintendent.

Bryant Elementary School
Bryant will open the first day with "Tears and Cheers". Parents will be invited into the school building for the first day after lining up outside (weather permitting) with their child and their teacher. Once inside the school building parents will enter the classrooms and assist with unpacking classroom supplies, finding student names/ desks/ cubbies and organizing class supplies and unpacking. At approximately 9 am, we will ask parents to say "farewell" and the families are directed to our cafeteria to connect with other families, sign up for PTO/ School committees and meet key school personnel.

We try to keep the morning relaxed and calm to support our littlest learners. All staff are assigned/on duty to assist with certain teachers. A calming entrance into the building and classrooms ensures students are not overstimulated by their first day experience.

Whittier Elementary School

Our facilities crews have been working tirelessly at Whittier to ensure that our students are greeted with a picturesque school upon their return. Numerous teachers have come in and began setting up their rooms, checking class lists, organizing materials etc. ensuring that they are ready for their new students on day 1. Teacher orders, text books, and new technology (5 Interactive televisions, ELMO's) have been received and the master schedule is complete.

Lowell Elementary School
Lowell School will recognize those students who participated in its seventh annual Summer Read-a-Thon on Friday, September 14, at 9 a.m. The Read-a-Thon aims to promote positive reading habits at home and maintain literacy skills learned during the school year. Students in grades K through 3 were encouraged to read at least 30 minutes a day during the summer recess. Their families were asked to record the amount of time spent reading on Read-a-Thon forms; and during the first week of school, students will return those forms to share their experiences and achievements with teachers and classmates. At the assembly, students will receive certificates, PTO sponsored book fair coupons, and keepsakes honoring their efforts. The press will be invited to attend the ceremony.

Hawthorne Elementary School

Hawthorne’s educational program will continue to be academically challenging; it will engage each student by linking the curriculum to previous knowledge and experiences; and it will be exciting so as to promote further exploration of new ideas. The 2018/2019 school year will focus on the following:
1.	Meaningful parent engagement/involvement to best support student learning needs and classroom instructional practices;
2.	Refined uses of data to positively impact student achievement and timely skill remediation efforts; 3.	The addition of both instructional and character development resources to help strengthen curricula
delivery and guidance programs focused on social/emotional development;

4.	Providing teachers with timely, research based, on-site professional development aligned with district and school level goals.

Benjamin Franklin Middle School

BFMS educators are poised to capitalize on our forward movement, while challenging ourselves and our students to reach new heights. . The first staff day will include an opportunity for our staff to hear directly from our new district leadership, reconvene as a school family back at BFMS, and prepare for the arrival of our scholars. On the first school day, teachers will cheer our scholars on as family and school community members welcome our students returning to school or arriving at BFMS for the first time as a student. At BFMS, Here We Grow!

Thomas Jefferson Middle School

TJMS is pleased to announce that renovations have been completed in the gymnasium, and work is progressing in the Faculty Lunch/Professional Development Room, as well as the two new classrooms. The installation of the brand new lockers has also been completed. The parking lots and sidewalks have been completed and look wonderful. Additionally, the newly-edited Thomas Jefferson Middle School Handbooks have arrived and include the Mission Statement, the Student Pledge of Respect, information regarding PBSIS, the Six Pillars of Character, and space has been provided for quarterly identification of students' personal and academic goals.

We are working diligently to fill two positions prior to the opening of the school year. Our dance teacher recently resigned and our Special Education Highly Qualified Mathematics Teacher recently resigned due to residency issues.

Teaneck High School
Teaneck High School is looking forward to welcoming the Class of 2022 at our 10th Annual Freshman Orientation on August 30th and excited to welcome 13 new faculty members
The 2018-2019 year will also feature enhancements to our curriculum with the addition of new courses:

1) Algebra CCR (College and Career Readiness) which will assist 10th grade students that approached expectations on the spring 2018 Algebra PARCC exam.

2) AP Computer Science Principals, which is our 20th Advanced Placement course offering. The administrative team have worked hard over the summer at planning new events and initiatives for our students and staff and are looking forward to a fresh start to another healthy and productive academic year.